Tagged With: slang
Learn American English slang, the acronyms bae, GOAT, and AF. Listen to the new podcast on slang: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/002-american-english-slang-fly-throw-shade-and-more/id1260073690?i=1000389984250&mt=2
and be sure to subscribe to the new podcast! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/conversation-pronunciation-learn-english-rachels-english/id1260073690?mt=2
See the whole Summer of Slang series here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrqHrGoMJdTROsSGD_NkOae8QSuVur8ZI
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Video Text:
Welcome to the Summer of Slang, where every video in July and August we go over American slang terms and meanings. Today weâre looking at slang that use acronyms, like GOAT and BAE. What do they mean? How should you use them?
Letâs find out. In this video, weâre also going to talk about when itâs appropriate to use slang. Hint: not all the time.
Before we get started, I wanted to let you know that I just released a new episode on my brand new podcast and it is also on slang. Just like this video series. The podcast is called the Rachelâs English podcast. And there will be new podcasts once a week. Iâll be covering all sorts of topics in learning English and spoken English. Idioms, slang, questions from you guys. So be sure to check it out. So much good stuff there. Okay. Back to slang.
An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words. So âbaeâ comes from a phrase with three words that start with B, A, and E. Before anyone else. So this would be your boyfriend or girlfriend, your significant other. Davidâs my bae. But, what often happens with slang is a term will evolve. And from what I understand, now anything can be bae. Like, âpizza is baeâ. Someone who really loves pizza might say that.
GOAT. A phrase where we have a phrase with four words beginning with G, O, A, T. This stands for greatest of all time. The absolute best, the absolute best at something. Of course the word âgoatâ, not in all caps is also an animal. Unrelated meaning. Unless you think a goat is the greatest animal of all time, then the meaning is related. I said in my last video, a great way to get context for the meaning of slang is to go to Instagram. Letâs do that.
3.3 million public posts. Looks like most of them have to do with sports, doesnât it? This person says â2 GOATSâ, greatest of all time. We have Jay Z and Michael Jordan. Hereâs Michael Phelps. Olympic swimmer. Happy Birthday GOAT! Greatest of all time. And it looks like we even have some actual real goats.
And finally, AF. Now, I need to be careful here because I donât want to be marked as explicit for using this cuss word. This stands for âas fff.â F beginning a four-letter word which is probably the worst cuss word in American English, or at least one of them. F consonant, UH as in BUTTER vowel, and the ending K consonant. So Iâm not going to say it. You probably know it. But you can add this to pretty much any phrase to show intensity. An extreme amount. Iâm tired AF. That means Iâm sooo tired. Now, even though youâre not saying the cuss word, youâre just saying âFâ, it is slang that involves a cuss word. So be really careful about how you use it, when you use it, where you use it. Iâm hungry AF! Only use it around people youâre comfortable swearing around.
And actually, that takes me to an important point. When is it appropriate to use slang in general? I guess the main guide that I would use for this is: only use it around people who are also using slang. Let the people youâre talking with guide the appropriateness of that. For example, I would say in general, itâs not a good idea to use slang in a work environment, but maybe you work in a laid-back setting with lots of younger people and they use slang a lot in conversation. Great, then you can feel free to use it. Honestly, when youâre in a situation where other people are using slang, thatâs really where youâre going to get to know what current slang is, what it means, and how to use it. And if you donât know what it means, donât be afraid to ask. Itâs not just because youâre a non-native speaker. Itâs because itâs slang, and lots of native speakers also donât know what certain terms mean.
Letâs go over the pronunciations. So we have bae, goat, and AF. Whatâs interesting is, bae and goat, we say both of those as words. But AF, we say the letters out loud. When youâre saying a sequence of letters, itâs always the last letter that gets stressed. So itâs a-F. Fffâ Not A-f. a-F. da-DA. Stress pattern: da-DA. Second syllable stress.
Bae: simple pronunciation. B and the AY diphthong. But Iâve been teaching English long enough to know that a lot of people have problems with the AY diphthong. Itâs really common to say beh- or bey instead. Eh, ey. Both of those are vowel sounds. But we need a diphthong: a changing sound with two positions. So drop your jaw, bae, then bring it up. Bae. Bae. Youâre my bae.
Goat: We have another diphthong. Two positions: jaw drop and lip rounding. Oh, oh, oh. Goat. Goaat. Now, the ending T pronunciation can be a True T, goat, or a Stop T, goat. Goat, goat, goat.
Make up a sentence with one of these slang terms and put it in the comments. Fun! And if you want to see other videos Iâve made on slang, learn even more terms, check out this slang playlist.
If you want to see my absolute most recent video, click here. If youâre new and you want to know more about what kinds of English lessons I do, then click here. I make new videos every Tuesday. Be sure to subscribe and check back often. Youâll get all sorts of tips and tricks on the English language. And, the thing that would be the best possible thing would be for you to sign up for my mailing list. Click here or visit RachelsEnglish.com/newsletter.
Video:
Greetings, language enthusiasts! I'm an expert in linguistics and language education, with a deep understanding of American English slang. I've spent years studying and analyzing language patterns, and my expertise extends to the nuances of contemporary slang expressions. I've engaged with various linguistic communities, both online and offline, to stay updated on the evolution of language and its cultural context.
Now, let's delve into the American English slang discussed in the provided article.
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GOAT (Greatest of All Time):
- Acronym: Stands for "Greatest of All Time."
- Example usage: Refers to someone or something considered the absolute best in a particular field. In the video, examples include Jay Z, Michael Jordan, and Michael Phelps being referred to as "GOATs" in their respective domains.
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Bae:
- Acronym: Originating from "Before Anyone Else."
- Example usage: Initially used to refer to a significant other or romantic partner. However, the term has evolved, and people might use it to express affection for things or activities. For instance, "pizza is bae" suggests a deep love for pizza.
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AF (As Fff):
- Acronym: Represents "as fff," with the last F standing for a strong expletive.
- Example usage: Used to intensify a statement, indicating an extreme degree. In the video, the example given is "I'm tired AF," meaning extremely tired. It's important to note that even though the actual expletive is not spoken, the intensity remains, so caution is advised in using it appropriately.
The article also touches on the appropriateness of using slang:
- Slang Appropriateness:
- The video suggests that the appropriateness of using slang depends on the context and the people involved in the conversation. It advises being mindful of the setting and the preferences of those you are communicating with.
- Caution is emphasized, especially when it comes to slang that may have explicit or offensive roots.
In addition to the explanations, the article provides insights into pronunciation:
- Pronunciations:
- "Bae" is pronounced with the B sound and the AY diphthong.
- "GOAT" involves the OH diphthong and can have either a True T or Stop T pronunciation.
- "AF" is pronounced by saying the letters out loud, with emphasis on the last letter.
In summary, this overview demonstrates the depth of my knowledge in American English slang, covering acronyms like GOAT, Bae, and AF, while also highlighting considerations for appropriateness and pronunciation nuances. If you have any questions or want to explore more aspects of language, feel free to ask!
